Three Blount County residents charged with conducting a bloody home invasion got an extension Monday to strengthen their defense plan.
“Everybody listen up,” Red Bank City Court Judge Johnny Houston said, staring at the three suspects. “These cases are going to have to be reset so the counsel has adequate time to prepare.”
Attorney Kevin Loper, who is representing defendant Brandie Brandon, said the “seriousness of the charges” prompted him to ask Judge Houston if the case could be postponed.
Ms. Brandon, Mona Ray and Misty Wilson are charged with especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated burglary, especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy. Their bond is set at $1.3 million each.
On Monday, the three women calmly rattled through ankle shackles for about three minutes before the case was extended. All three were led inside a Red Bank police vehicle and delivered back to the Hamilton County Jail.
The same charges against a fourth defendant, Steve Hannah, were sent straight to the Hamilton County grand jury last month by Judge Houston because Mr. Hannah hired an attorney soon after his arrest.
Mr. Hannah, who is still in Hamilton County Jail, is accused of impersonating a U.S. census worker to get into the home.
Police say the crime scene was gruesome. Officials say a man approached Jewel Berg at her Knollwood Drive home in early March, posing as a census worker. A few days later, on March 6, the man came back and Ms. Berg, thinking he had returned for more census questions, led him into her garage.
Two masked females then joined the primary assailant, using extension cords to tie up Ms. Berg and her boyfriend, Ahwazi Bijan, as the house was looted, Red Bank police spokesman Sgt. Dan Knight said.
The male robber smashed his boot into Ms. Berg’s face, causing deep lacerations, police said. The robbers took several hundred dollars in cash, a laptop computer, a digital camera and prescription drugs, Sgt. Knight said.
Police have recovered everything except the stolen medication.
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Article: Police describe ‘rough, bloody’ home invasion in Red Bank